Nigeria’s incoming president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had during the electioneering period, vowed to accelerate the implementation of the Nigeria Gas Master Plan.
Tinubu also promised to fully develop and modernise Nigeria’s regulatory framework for natural gas production.
His campaign manifesto promised a 20 per cent increase in gas production and completion of specific “critical” gas infrastructure projects by 2027.
Based on his promises, a coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations on Friday, May 26, 2023, called on the incoming administration to disclose its action plans for Nigeria’s gas sector within 90 days of taking office.
Specifically, the coalition said tinubu’s government must take the necessary steps to:
1) Publish a comprehensive, costed, realistic and detailed Decade of Gas Policy with clear roles for state, non-state actors and investors with periodic progress updates.
2) Fast-track implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act and improve enforcement of regulations to hold all projects to higher operational standards, specifically decommissioning and community relations.
3) Clarify the role of sub-national governments and agencies in implementing national gas and energy transition policies.
4) Provide a detailed outline of the investment mobilisation for critical infrastructure needed to address the wide dearth of gas industry infrastructure across the value chain.
5) Properly assess the risks involved with gas expansion and create a strategy to minimise the impacts, maximise the benefits, phase out oil and gas assets and plan for a post-oil and gas future.
6) Outline a detailed plan to end gas flaring and provide progress updates on the gas flare commercialisation program designed to reduce host community exposure to toxins and increase gas supply.
